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American author Shirley Jackson (14 December, 1916 -8 August, 1965) born on this day. She is best known for her excellent short story The Lottery.
About: Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver is a fictional book taking place in Appalachia. The book is very lyrical and rich exploring the simple yet complex life of rural Tennessee. The publisher is giving away one copy of this book –to enter fill out the Rafflecoptter form at the end of the post. 448 pages Publisher: Harper Language: English ISBN-10: 0062124269 My rating for Flight Behavior —3 Buy this book in paper or electronic format* More Books by Barbara Kingsolver Thoughts: I was excited to get Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver (website | Facebook), her books automatically go to my “to read” list. The books I read are all unique and different from one another focusing on various themes and subjects. The writing is fantastic, however I did not feel any connection to the characters and the story is slow. The book picks up in places, just as you’re ready to put it down, but then it goes on dragging especially when it comes to the protagonist’s personal life versus her professional life. Maybe because of the characters boredom with her family life, which we are told practically from the first paragraph, the author chose to slow down the pace – for me it simply didn’t work. The theme of the book is…
About: Breaking the Code: A Father’s Secret, A Daughter’s Journey and the Question That Changed Everything by Karen Fisher-Alaniz is a non-fiction book which tells about the author’s research into her father’s service in World War II. The publisher is giving away one print copy US address or one eCopy any e-mail address, enter using the Rafflecopter at the end of the post. 336 pages Publisher: Sourcebooks Language: English ISBN-10: 1402261128 My rating for Breaking the Code — 4 Buy this book in paper or electronic format* Check out this & more World War II books on Man of la BookStore Thoughts: As followers of this blog Know, I love reading about World War II and especially memoirs of the “Greatest Generation” who, unfortunately is leaving us by the thousands each week. Many of those dying have amazing stories which will forever be untold, projects like Speilberg’s “Survivors of the Shoah Visual History ” are extremely important not only for for the children of the “Greatest Generation” but also for future historians and for a better world. Which is why, when I was offered to join the tour for Breaking the Code by Karen Fisher-Alaniz (website | Facebook) I jumped at the opportunity – I was not disappointed. The book is much more than a memoir, it is a heartfelt tribute to a man who…
A young woman finds out that life has more to offer her after the loss of her parents. After losing her parents, Raylyn moves to the mountains only to discover that she isn’t what she appears to be. Not believing in fairly tales of vampires, werewolves, and pixies, Raylyn gets a surprise visit from an unlikely visitor that winds up turning her world inside out. It’s this visitor who sets the story in motion by explaining who Raylyn really was and that the world of vampires, werewolves, and pixies is real. As is the evil that has set out to find her. Buy this book in paper or electronic format* ‘Where are you from, or do all you pixies have Irish accents?’ ‘No, I’m from Ireland. I was sent here a hundred years ago by the queen of Bearen on a quest.’ ‘What’s the quest?’ ‘To find the one they call the Pathfinder. She is supposed to be the queen’s great-granddaughter. No one knows where or who she is.’ ‘So, what happens when you find her?’ This fun book written by Angela Miller is an easy to read novel that delves into the fantasy world of today’s society. Fans of…
For the next 4 hours (3.5 by now), the hardcover copy Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever by Bill O’Reilly & Martin Dugard will be discounted to $3 (regular price $28) Click here to reserve your copy. A riveting historical narrative of the heart-stopping events surrounding the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and the first work of history from mega-bestselling author Bill O’Reilly The anchor of The O’Reilly Factor recounts one of the most dramatic stories in American history—how one gunshot changed the country forever. In the spring of 1865, the bloody saga of America’s Civil War finally comes to an end after a series of increasingly harrowing battles. President Abraham Lincoln’s generous terms for Robert E. Lee’s surrender are devised to fulfill Lincoln’s dream of healing a divided nation, with the former Confederates allowed to reintegrate into American society. But one man and his band of murderous accomplices, perhaps reaching into the highest ranks of the U.S. government, are not appeased. In the midst of the patriotic celebrations in Washington D.C., John Wilkes Booth—charismatic ladies’ man and impenitent racist—murders Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre. A furious manhunt ensues and Booth immediately becomes the country’s most wanted fugitive….
Pulitzer prize winning American author Willa Cather (7 December, 1873 – 24, April, 1947) s associated with the pioneer spirit, she lived most of her life in NYC
Article first published as Book Review: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas on Blogcritics. About: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas is the author’s best known novel. The story was originally serialized between March and July of 1844 in Le Siècle magazine. 704 pages Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA Language: English ISBN-10: 0199538468 My rating for The Three Musketeers – 5 Buy this book in paper or electronic format* More Books by Alexandre Dumas Thoughts: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas is a fast paced adventure into French history which has cemented itself as a classic and refuses to let go. I have been a fan of this story for several decades, it is a silly fantasy riddled with intrigue and adventure crossing borders and nationalism. The story is difficult to read at first, the French names and seemingly high brow storytelling, but soon one can tell why this novel is one of the most popular of all times. Peculiar, memorable and quirky with adventures galore and an air of arrogance could define The Three Musketeers, but there is plenty more. Dumas peppered this book with historical figures, but not so much historical accuracy (to be generous). As with many other novels, the author took real figures…
Article first published as Book Review: Wanted: Gentleman Bank Robber by Dane Batty on Blogcritics. About: Wanted: Gentleman Bank Robber: The True Story of Leslie Ibsen Rogge, One of the FBI’s Most Elusive Criminals by Dane Batty is a true-crime book about the criminal career of this elusive man. 218 pages Publisher: Nish Publishing Company Language: English ISBN-10: 0615268455 My Rating for Wanted – 3 Buy this book in paper or electronic format* Thoughts: Dane Batty (Facebook) wrote Wanted: Gentleman Bank Robber when he heard the stories his uncle, Leslie Ibsen Rogge, told or being told about him. As a young man Mr. Batty admired his uncle’s daring dues and it seems he does so to this day even though it seems the man will die in prison. This is a very entertaining and easy to read book, but with very little reflection, retrospect and analysis. There are stories of daring robberies and escape, but very little about the heavy price Mr. Rogge paid in personal freedom, family life and financial. The stories themselves are interesting but, as it is with many books of this type, it seems they were written to keep them in the family rather for the general populace. What…
Article first published as Book Review: Farewell to Freedom by Sara Blaedel on Blogcritics. About: Farewell to Freedom by Sara Blædel is a fictional book in a series featuring Copenhagen detective Louise Rick and her friend Camilla Lind, a reporter. This is the third novel translated to English written by the best selling Danish author. The publisher is giving away one copy of this book –to enter fill out the Rafflecoptter form at the end of the post. 384 pages Publisher: Pegasus Language: English ISBN-10: 1605984531 My rating for Farewell to Freedom – 4 Buy this book in paper or electronic format* More Books by Sara Blædel Thoughts: Farewell to Freedom by Sara Blædel (website | Facebook | @sarablaedel) is darker than the previous books I read in the series. Previously Ms. Blædel explored drugs, honor killings, online dating and more. This time however the author turns her sights on prostitution and trafficking women. The book is very well written and it seemed to me that the author has upped a notch her research and storytelling. I was surprised that instead of writing fallacies and inaccuracies, as many others do, Ms. Blædel examined the issues objectively and inserted them into her novel. For example, the point that few prostitutes are…
Buy this Star Wars Book in paper or electronic copy* Andrew: Originally published at: http://www.rancorslovetoread.com/2008/12/andrews-review-of-courtship-of-princess.html 3/5 Rancors – Dave Wolverton’s The Courtship of Princess Leiawas one of the first books published by Bantam Spectra after the resounding success of Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn Trilogy in the early 1990’s. As such, it has the exciting, adventurous, and sometimes plain wacky feeling that a lot of the early books had (especially before the advent of the prequel films and the onslaught of stories about Jedi, Sith, and clone troopers). It is an enjoyable romp of a story with some very puzzling characterizations. The setting is four years after the Battle of Endor in Return of the Jedi. Princess Leia and Han Solo have been involved over this period but are still not in a fully committed relationship. Han has spent the prior five months commanding a task force hunting Warlord Zsinj and his Super Star Destroyer Iron Fist: the tale of his search is ably documented by Aaron Allston in the fifth through seventh novels of the superb X-wing series. Leia has been attempting to kickstart diplomatic relations between the New Republic and the secretive Hapan Cluster, an alliance of sixty-three wealthy and…
